Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Royal Air Force transport and tanker aircraft are (a) more than 40 years old, (b) between 30 and 40 years old, (c) between 20 and 30 years old, (d) between 10 and 20 years old, and (e) less than 10 years old.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The Royal Air Force transport fleet comprises C-17, Hercules C-130J/K, Tristar, VC-10, HS 125, BAe 146 and Augusta A109E aircraft. The air refuelling aircraft are Tristar and VC-10.
	The age of these aircraft are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Age of Aircraft Numbers of Aircraft 
			 More than 40 years old 28 
			 Between 30 and 40 years old 10 
			 Between 20 and 30 years old 8 
			 Between 10 and 20 years old 24 
			 Less than 10 years old 9 
		
	
	First deliveries of the transport aircraft A400M are expected to commence in 2014. The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft will be introduced to service in 2011.

Armed Forces: Costs

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 5 January (WA 4) on the costs of United Kingdom military operations in certain countries, whether they will adjust the figures to include the cost of military equipment, military personnel pay, estate works and maintenance, and information technology and communications.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The original Question asks for the cost to public funds for "operations" in Iraq, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Germany, and the Falkland Islands in each of the past five years.
	In strict terms, during that period, only forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have been engaged in military "operations" for which the net additional costs are met by the reserve. The other countries, with the exception of Cyprus, have standing forces, and our activities there paid for from the core defence budget. Cyprus has a combination of forces for which we receive payment for peacekeeping duties by the United Nations and other UK standing forces.
	The MoD's core budget is separated into eight top level budget holders (TLBs) each responsible for delivering individual military objectives. Within these TLBs the budget is not routinely allocated in terms of regions but in terms of categories of expenditure. The level of detailed breakdown requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Art Galleries: Grants

Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what grant was given to art galleries in London in 2007 and 2008; and how it was divided.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The grant in aid (GIA) allocations to sponsored art galleries in London for financial years 2007-08 and 2008-09 and Department for Culture, Media and Sport/Wolfson 2007-08 Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund grants are shown in the table.
	
		
			£000's 
			  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Gallery GIA Additional Wolfson Funding 1 GIA 
			 Tate 2 38,818 0 49,556 
			 National Gallery 25,597 100 26,369 
			 National Portrait Gallery 7,038 122 7,693 
			 The Courtauld Institute of Art (University of London) n/a 40 n/a 
		
	
	1 Many institutions who have received grants from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund hold both museum and art gallery collections within a single institutional entity. It is not possible to disaggregate the funding that is received solely by the art galleries within these institutions. Hence the data in the table relates solely to galleries that hold art collections only. Grants awarded by the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund comprise 50 per cent funding from DCMS and 50 per cent from the Wolfson Foundation.
	2 The figures for Tate include Tate Modern and Tate Britain, as well as central organisational functions including conservation, marketing, press and publicity and acquisitions.
	Arts Council England also spent £17,407,757 on Visual Arts in Greater London in 2007-08 and £17,165,430 in 2008-09. This includes areas such as architecture, artist development, moving image, crafts, learning and education, live art, new media, photography and public art, in addition to physical art gallery space.

Channel Tunnel

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen the access by other rail freight operators to the Channel Tunnel, in agreement with the existing operators and the Government of France.

Lord Adonis: We created open access for UK freight paths through the Channel Tunnel at the end of 2006 and Eurotunnel has since agreed lower rates for rail freight. These initiatives have delivered results in the form of an increase in the number of rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel, some of which are operated by new open access operators.

Civil Service

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 16 December 2009 (WA 233), how many civil servants were seconded to the private sector in the transport industries during 2008 and 2009.

Lord Adonis: In instances where there are five or fewer occurrences, it is Department for Transport policy not to release information on grounds of confidentiality

Crime: Homicide

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have died since 1963 at the hands of persons previously convicted of homicide.

Lord West of Spithead: Between 1963 and 2007-08 a total of 131 persons in England and Wales are known to have been killed by persons who had been previously convicted of homicide.
	As with previous Answers, the figure excludes persons who have been killed by those who may have been convicted outside England and Wales (for whom there is incomplete information), and persons who have been killed by those not previously convicted of homicide by reason of their mental state.

Crown Dependencies: Defence Costs

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have held with the Government of Guernsey about the voluntary contribution Guernsey may make to the costs of United Kingdom defence.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: None.

Driving: Licences

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will undertake a consultation on the effects of Commission Directive 2009/113/EC on the eligibility criteria for a United Kingdom driving licence.

Lord Adonis: My department is considering the requirements and expects to consult on changes to the minimum medical standards as early as practical.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 16 December 2009 (WA 236-7), what were the differences between the Hampton Implementation Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as originally drafted and the text subsequently made available on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website; and whether they will place a copy of the first draft in the Library of the House.

Lord Drayson: The Hampton Implementation Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) forms part of a series of reviews of the work of 36 national regulators against the principles of good regulatory and enforcement practice first set out in the Hampton report, Reducing Administrative Burdens: effective inspection and enforcement (2005). The reviews are based on a range of evidence, including interviews with regulator staff and stakeholders. Their findings reflect the views of a team consisting of peer reviewers drawn from other regulators and better regulation executive officials.
	The HFEA report was published on 3 December 2009. Drafts of the reports, and commentary upon them, are not published. However, full guidance on the process underlying the reviews is available at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48275.pdf.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the context of their overview of the current state of the scientific evidence worldwide for and against the fluoridation of water supplies, what are the journal and date of publication of the study by Professor Chester Douglass foreshadowed by that author in a letter in Cancer Causes Journal in 2006 (17:481-482) adduced in South Central Strategic Health Authority's 2008 public consultation document on water fluoridation (reference 13) as evidence for the view that no link was found between fluoride levels and osteosarcoma.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the larger study referred to by Professor Chester Douglass in a letter in Cancer Causes Journal in 2006 (17:481-482) worked on the same sets of data as the study in the same journal by Elise Bassin whose "exploratory analysis found an association between fluoride exposure during childhood and the incidence of osteosarcoma among males but not consistently among females" (17:421-428); whether the two studies contained subjects in common; and whether the subjects in the two studies were recruited over overlapping time periods.

Baroness Thornton: We understand that Elise Bassin's analysis was of subjects included in a longitudinal study led by Professor Chester Douglass. The report of the study has not been published yet, but an analysis conducted in 2007 by the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit found that the incidence of osteosarcoma in the West Midlands, in which over 5 million people drink fluoridated water, is low with no statistically significant difference in rates for fluoridated and non-fluoridated parts of the region.

Government Departments: Bonuses

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government for each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many people were eligible for performance bonuses and special bonuses in the Attorney-General's Office and its agencies, by Civil Service band; how many people received each type of bonus, by Civil Service band; what the average payment was for each type of bonus, by Civil Service band; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus, by Civil Service band.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Non-consolidated performance payments are an integral element of the reward package for staff. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance-for example, by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives. They have to be re-earned each year and do not add to future pay bill costs-for example, pensions. A close and effective link between pay and performance and increased use of variable pay is a key element of the reward arrangements for the Civil Service and the Senior Civil Service (SCS) in particular.
	Reward arrangements, including the criteria for non-consolidated performance pay, below the SCS, are delegated to individual departments and agencies. For the SCS, departments and agencies are responsible for their own reward arrangements within a framework set by Cabinet Office. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards for the SCS is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
	Tables covering the specific information requested have been deposited in the Library of the House. These tables give details of the number people who were eligible for and received a non-consolidated variable pay awards, and the average and maximum payment for a non-consolidated variable pay award, by civil service band, for the three most recent performance years for which the relevant payments have been published in the department's accounts.

Government: Office Equipment

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Barbara Follett, on 9 December 2009 (Official Report, Commons, col. 390W), what was the average purchase price, excluding value added tax, of a 500-sheet ream of white A4 80 gsm photocopier paper paid by the Ministry of Defence and each of its agencies in the latest period for which figures are available.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The average purchase price, excluding VAT, paid by the Ministry of Defence and each of its agencies for a 500-sheet ream of white A4 80 gsm photocopier paper since 1 October 2009 is £1.73.

Government: Office Equipment

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Barbara Follett, on 9 December 2009 (Official Report, Commons, col. 390W), what was the average purchase price, excluding value added tax, of a 500-sheet ream of white A4 80 gsm photocopier paper paid by the Department for Work and Pensions in the latest period for which figures are available.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: For the period May 2008 to December 2009 the average purchase price, excluding value added tax, of a 500-sheet ream of white A4 80gsm photocopier paper used by this department is £1.73.

Houses of Parliament: State Opening

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to (a) the Ministry of Defence, and (b) the police, of the State Opening of Parliament on 18 November.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: For the MoD, the estimated additional cost was about £10,000. This represents expenditure on transport. We have not calculated the cost of the support given by military personnel as they are paid on a daily basis irrespective of their duties.
	For the Metropolitan Police, the estimated additional cost of the policing operation was £85,000. This includes expenditure on air support, transportation, catering, the erection of barriers and road signs and overtime.

Houses of Parliament: State Opening

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost of removing and replacing the steel barriers in Old Palace Yard in order to allow access for the Sovereign's procession at the State Opening of Parliament.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The complete cost of the removal and reinstatement of the Corus barriers, and associated actions, for the 2009 State Opening of Parliament was £92,271. This included: the closure of the road (erection of diversion signs, early warning notices etc); the removal, storage and reinstatement of all barriers and railings in front of the Palace from St Stephen's Entrance to Black Rod's Entrance; the removal, storage and reinstatement of the Corus barriers; and the installation and removal of the temporary security boom gates and blockers, as well as their removal and reinstatement for the early morning rehearsal and for the State Opening itself.

Houses of Parliament: State Opening

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have consulted the appropriate local authorities on the impact on traffic flows in Westminster and Lambeth of closing Old Palace Yard for the State Opening of Parliament.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: In order to close the roads for the State Opening of Parliament, the police make an application to Westminster City Council. It is for the council to consider the impact of the closure when making its decision.

Housing: Funding

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will fund the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder projects for the remainder of the 15-year investment period announced when the projects were set up in 2003.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the annual funding of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder projects will increase in future; and how much funding they expect to provide for each of those projects in their remaining years.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Housing Market Renewal was established as a long-term programme, although it is too early to confirm future levels of funding for the programme beyond the current Comprehensive Spending Review period. Full HMR Pathfinder allocations for 2010-11 were announced in December last year.

Housing: Letting Agents

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are a considering a comprehensive scheme for the registration of letting agents of residential property in England and Wales.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: We consulted over the summer on our response to the independent review of the private rented sector carried out by Julie Rugg and David Rhodes of the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York. This included proposals for the regulation of letting agents. We have been considering the consultation responses received and plan to publish the results shortly.
	Please note however that these matters are devolved for Wales.

Housing: Private Landlords

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering a comprehensive scheme for the registration of private landlords of residential property in England and Wales.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: We consulted over the summer on our response to the independent review of the private rented sector carried out by Julie Rugg and David Rhodes of the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York. This included proposals for a national register of private landlords. We have been considering the consultation responses received and plan to publish the results shortly.
	Please note however that these matters are devolved for Wales.

Immigration: Tinsley House

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken in response to the report of unprofessional conduct by some overseas escort contractors noted by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in her report on Tinsley House immigration removal centre.

Lord West of Spithead: The UK Border Agency has been working with its escorting contractor G4S to address the concerns raised by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP).
	A reminder has been issued to all G4S overseas escorts of the availability of the telephone interpreting service and of the need to use it with any detainees identified as having difficulties in communication. This will be reinforced in operational briefings given to staff on charter flights and the level of use of the interpreting service will be monitored.
	While escort staff always try to help detainees with their concerns and will endeavour to put them at their ease, this should never extend to providing false assurances. All overseas escorts have been reminded of this in operational briefings. Any reports of escorts offering inappropriate advice or assurances will be investigated thoroughly.
	On the occasion of the charter observed by HMCIP, with the large number of detainees and the short timescale, some overseas escort staff omitted to introduce and identify themselves to some of the detainees. Escort staff are expected to carry ID at all times and are obliged to identify and introduce themselves to detainees when requested. This omission has been followed-up with by a reminder to escort staff of the need for an introduction and identification on all moves, including charter flights.

Immigration: Tinsley House

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many single women are held at Tinsley House immigration removal centre; and what changes they have brought in since HM Chief Inspector of Prisons noted that "the small number of single women felt intimidated and rarely left their rooms".

Lord West of Spithead: Tinsley House immigration removal centre can accommodate five single women at any one time, providing a place of detention close to Gatwick Airport. Following the HMCIP report, G4S in conjunction with the UK Border Agency has arranged for an officer to check on all women at various times of the day to ensure their welfare needs are met and to address any particular concerns. Arrangements in place for them to eat separately from the men if they so wish, and to access activities such as the gym alone.
	We have also limited the length of stay to 72 hours, after which they are transferred to Yarl's Wood, the main centre for women.

Immigration: Tinsley House

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government in light of the conclusion by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in her report on Tinsley House immigration removal centre that apparently unnecessary force had been used on children when removing a family, whether new instructions have been issued on the use of force on children.

Lord West of Spithead: New instructions have not yet been issued, but staff at Tinsley House were reminded of the need to obtain prior authority in advance following the incident reported in the HM Chief Inspector of Prison's report.

Immigration: Tinsley House

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether child protection arrangements have been developed at Tinsley House immigration removal centre.

Lord West of Spithead: All staff who work at Tinsley House immigration removal centre are vetted by the UK Border Agency to ascertain their suitability to work with children.
	Officers also receive child protection training. However, the current package is currently being developed further in conjunction with West Sussex Children's Services.

Local Authorities

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether "double devolution" of power from central government to local government to local people remains part of their policy programme; and, if so, what steps they are taking to promote it.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Since 1997, local authorities have gained significant powers, responsibilities and financial freedoms from central government to enable further devolution of decision-making to local communities. Actions we have taken to date include: increased financial freedom and stability to local government through the first ever three-year finance settlement, reduced ring-fencing, and devolved powers to local authorities, enabling them to create parish councils, make and enforce certain bylaws and increasing their choice in democratic processes such as electoral schemes and leadership style. We have promoted the transfer of assets from local government to local people where these could be better run for community benefits. We have also recently passed legislation that will give citizens greater power to hold local authorities to account and influence local services. This includes the extension of scrutiny arrangements, enabling local people, through their councillors, to influence decisions which affect their day to day lives and give them more say over what their council is doing for them.
	This Government's recent public consultation, Strengthening Local Democracy, on which we will respond in due course, affirms our commitment to principles of devolution. In addition, Putting the Front-line first: Smarter Government published on 9 December sets out how we will meet new challenges and deliver better public services for lower costs by: driving up standards through strengthening the roles of citizens and civic society; freeing up public services by recasting the relationship between the centre and the front-line and streamlining central government, saving money through sharper delivery. These actions all demonstrate our continuing commitment to devolution.

Local Authorities

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have set an upper limit on (a) geographical size, or (b) population, before a local authority ceases to be "local"; and, if so, what those limits are.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: We have no such parameters, as is illustrated by the fact that the size of principal local authorities' ranges from West Somerset with a population of around 35,500, to the City of Birmingham, with a population of just over 1 million.

Local Authorities

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which public services provided under statute by local authorities they do not consider to be "core services" which should be protected from spending cuts.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Local authorities are independent bodies responsible for the decisions they make on spending priorities to meet their statutory commitments. Councils have benefited from significant investment since 1997 with a 39 per cent real terms increase in government grant in the first 10 years, and an additional £8.6 billion over the period covered by the current spending review (2008-09 to 2010-11). We want to see local government at the heart of initiatives to provide innovative and better value public services. Councils have a good record on delivering the efficiency gains necessary to provide effective local services. We expect them to make £5.5 billion available over the three years up to 2011 through efficiencies which can be reinvested in local services or used to keep council tax levels down.

Local Government: Services

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the Total Place pilots that 5 per cent of spending on public services is discretionary spending by local authorities; whether that proportion will be increased; and, if so, by how much.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Total Place initiative is currently ongoing and the pilots have yet to provide their final reports. Once received, the department will work with a range of other departments to consider the issues raised in those reports.

Mountain Rescue

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will compensate the mountain rescue teams which have supported local authorities during recent extreme weather conditions, including floods, snow and cold conditions, in a similar manner to the Bellwin scheme for compensating local authorities.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: As my noble friend Lord Faulkner of Worcester said in the House on 6 January 2010, support for mountain rescue teams is a matter for the police authority and chief constable concerned as they have responsibility for co-ordinating inland search and rescue operations. Between them, police forces contribute almost £100,000 annually in direct support and additional amounts by way of support in kind. However, in recognition of concerns expressed by the Mountain Rescue Council about such matters, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the honourable Member for Gillingham, has offered to facilitate a meeting with Lord Dubs, interested parties and relevant government departments. As my noble friend also said, the efforts of those who give their time to the mountain rescue service during severe weather events of the kind we are experiencing merit only the highest praise and appreciation.

NHS: Purchasing

Earl Howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how best practice for procurement is encouraged in the National Health Service.

Baroness Thornton: Guidance to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the procurement of health services is maintained under the PCT Procurement Guide and is supported by the role of regional Commercial Support Units in adopting best practice, for example, in realising opportunities for collaborative working.
	A copy of the PCT Procurement Guide (May 2008) has been placed in the Library.
	This document is also available on the department's corporate website, via the following link at www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_084857.pdf

NHS: Purchasing

Earl Howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual total level of NHS spending on medical supplies and equipment.

Baroness Thornton: Annual total revenue expenditure on clinical supplies and services, as recorded in the National Health Service audited summarisation schedules, was £4,922,822,000 in 2008-09, which is the latest period for which audited figures are available.
	Revenue expenditure on clinical supplies and services is taken to include drugs, dressings, medical and surgical equipment, x-ray equipment and supplies, laboratory equipment, appliances (eg, artificial limbs and wheelchair hardware) and the maintenance of equipment. The department does not collect information that allows capital expenditure on medical equipment to be disaggregated from total capital expenditure.

NHS: Purchasing

Earl Howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the planned expenditure on NHS medical supplies and equipment in each year from 2011 to 2014.

Baroness Thornton: The Pre-Budget Report announced that spending on front-line health will increase in line with inflation in 2011-12 and 2012-13. Funding for 2013-14 has not been announced. Planning at the level of detail of medical supplies and equipment is a matter for the National Health Service locally and not the department.

NHS: Purchasing

Earl Howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the DHL contract for supply and delivery of NHS medical supplies and equipment is being evaluated.

Baroness Thornton: The department signed a 10-year master services agreement with Exel Europe Ltd (part of the DHL group) on 4 September 2006 for the provision of procurement and supply chain services. Exel trades under the name of National Health Service Supply Chain (NHS SC).
	The operating and financial performance of NHS SC is reviewed regularly by a joint board, comprising representatives from the department, NHS SC and NHS Business Services Authority.
	Two annual customer satisfaction surveys have been undertaken since the contract started-one is led by the department, the other by NHS SC.
	In addition, the department has commissioned a detailed qualitative customer survey, which gives NHS SC's customers the opportunity to comment on the organisation's performance.
	Schedule 23 of the master services agreement sets out the key performance indicators and post-transition key performance indicators. The post-transition phase began in August 2007.
	A copy of Schedule 23 of the master services agreement has been placed in the Library.

Olympic Games 2012: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what objectives they have for the legacy of the 2012 London Olympic Games for Northern Ireland.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government's legacy ambitions for the UK, including Northern Ireland, are: to make the UK a world-leading sporting nation; to transform the heart of East London; to inspire a generation of young people; to make the Olympic Park a blueprint for sustainable living; and to demonstrate that the UK is a creative, inclusive and welcoming place to live in, visit and for business. And in December 2009 I announced a sixth promise: that London 2012 will help transform the opportunities for disabled people.
	The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games established the Nations and Regions Group to ensure UK-wide engagement and to maximise the legacy of London 2012. This group works directly with representatives from each of the Nations and English regions to maximise the sporting, commercial, cultural and other benefits of the 2012 Games.
	Specific examples of the Games' legacy in Northern Ireland include:
	the 10-year Strategy for Sport in Northern Ireland to increase the number of Northern Irish participants at London 2012 and future Games;a culture and arts programme, contributing fully to the Cultural Olympiad;the Northern Ireland Connections Programme, funded by Legacy Trust UK, consisting of six projects to encourage partnership working between the arts and sports sectors; andapproximately 1,000 Northern Ireland companies have registered on Competefor-the London 2012 electronic business database-with nine companies securing Olympic-related contracts at an estimated value of £60 million.

Passports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have in place arrangements to enable them to exchange with the authorities of the United States and member states of the European Union details of passports held by British passport holders.

Lord West of Spithead: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) does not routinely provide details of valid UK passports to border control and law enforcement authorities in the United States or the European Union.
	IPS does, however, have arrangements in place to provide details of both fraudulently obtained genuine UK passports and processed reports of lost and stolen UK Passports to Interpol, border control and law enforcement authorities in the United States and the UK Border Agency. This information helps to support the prevention and detection of crime and remove lost, stolen and fraudulently obtained genuine UK passports from circulation.

Public Bodies

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they make appointments to public bodies only on the basis of merit and capacity.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Independent Commissioner for Public Appointments requires all appointments to posts within her remit to be made on merit following an open and transparent selection process.

Roads: Advertising Hoardings

Lord Lloyd-Webber: To ask Her Majesty's Government what planning permissions for advertising hoardings and product showrooms beside major roads were granted in 2009; and whether the potential distractions caused by advertising hoardings and showrooms are taken into account in such cases.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information requested is not collected centrally. Local planning authorities are required to exercise their powers under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 with regard to, among other things, amenity and public safety. This is set out in regulation 3. Factors relevant to public safety include the safety of persons using any highway; whether the advertisement is likely to obscure, or hinder the ready interpretation of, any traffic sign; or whether the display of the advertisement is likely to hinder the operation of any device for measuring the speed of any vehicle. These principles are reflected in the standard conditions in Schedule 2 to the regulations.
	Highway safety would also be a material consideration in the determination of planning permissions.

Roads: Verges and Waysides

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to the Highways Agency and local authorities on the maintenance of highway verges and waysides for (a) use by people walking and riding horses, (b) conservation of flora and wildlife, and (c) environmental amenity.

Lord Adonis: Highway authorities in England have a duty, under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, to maintain the roads in their charge. This duty includes maintenance of verges, where these form part of the highway.
	The Highways Agency provides guidance to its managing agents on the maintenance of highway verges and waysides in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges that specifically covers conservation of flora and wildlife; in the Network Management Manual in relation to people using these areas for walking and riding horses; and in the Routine and Winter Service Code for other amenity aspects. All the Highways Agency's guidance describes management requirements and techniques for maintenance for application across a range of situations on the trunk road network.
	It is for local authorities to decide on their maintenance strategy for verges. The Department for Transport has not issued specific guidance on this topic (although local authorities may follow the Highways Agency's guidance where appropriate). However, the department endorses the UK Roads Liaison Group's code of practice, "Well-maintained Highways" (available from the House Libraries or from www.ukroadsliaisongroup.org), which provides advice to authorities on highway maintenance management. It encourages authorities to consider the entire range of road users, including pedestrians and horse riders, and it contains guidance on nature conservation and biodiversity and environmental management. Natural England also provides guidance on the management of quiet lanes and greenways, where a greater emphasis on the needs of pedestrians and horse riders may be appropriate.

Somalia: Pirates

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 5 January (WA 80), under what legal powers the Royal Navy seized arms, fuel, skiffs, ladders and hooks from foreign nationals upon the high seas.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The Royal Navy has seized equipment and weapons from suspected pirates in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Article 105.

Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

Lord Steel of Aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their stance on the proposal that the European Commission may increase the size of heavy goods vehicles permitted on trunk roads.

Lord Adonis: The Government's clear understanding is that the European Commission has no current intention to bring forward any proposal which, if agreed by member states, would impose a significant increase in vehicle weights and dimensions.

UK Border Agency: Staff

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the authority and operations of the UK Border Agency extend to the Crown dependencies.

Lord West of Spithead: The Crown dependencies have their own customs and immigration authorities, who are accountable to their respective Governments. The UK Border Agency [UKBA] works closely with immigration authorities in all the islands, to ensure the security of our borders.
	The Crown dependencies carry out the same level of immigration control as the United Kingdom and receive training from UKBA, in frontline immigration operations. The islands have their own immigration rules, which closely follow those in force in the UK, and their staff have access to UKBA instructions, guidance and watchlists.
	United Kingdom immigration legislation may be extended to any of the islands by order in council (subject to exceptions and adaptations) following consultation with the islands and with the islands' consent.

UK Border Agency: Staff

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many United Kingdom-based UK Border Agency staff work outside the United Kingdom; and in which countries.

Lord West of Spithead: The number of United Kingdom based UK Border Agency staff working outside the United Kingdom and in which countries they are posted is shown in the attached table. The figures are as at December 2009(1).
	
		
			 Countries (2) United Kingdom based UK Border Agency staff working outside the UK 
			 France 965 
			 India 76 
			 Nigeria 68 
			 United Arab Emirates 43 
			 Belgium 36 
			 China 39 
			 South Africa 25 
			 Philippines 23 
			 Russian Federation 21 
			 Ghana 23 
			 Pakistan 17 
			 Bangladesh 12 
			 Jamaica 10 
			 Kenya 10 
			 Turkey 10 
			 Egypt 8 
			 Thailand 8 
			 Poland 6 
			 Total of employees in countries with  5 or fewer posted UK staff (3). 101 
			 Total 1,501 
		
	
	(1) Border Force staff as at 31.12.09, International Group Staff as at 22.01.2009.
	(2) Countries with more than five posted UK staff.
	(3) Total representation in countries with five or fewer posted UK staff. The numbers in these individual countries are withheld for data protection and security reasons.